Mano or Pagmamano

Mano or Pagmamano is a gesture used in Filipino culture performed as a sign of respect to elders and as a way of
accepting a blessing from the elder. Similar to hand-kissing, the person giving the greeting bows towards the offered
hand of the elder and presses his or her forehead on the elder's hand. Usually performed with the right hand, the
person showing respect may ask "Mano po" to the elder in order to ask permission to initiate the gesture. Typically
someone may mano to his or her older relatives upon entry into their home or upon seeing them.
The word "mano" is Spanish for "hand" while the word "po" is often used in Filipino culture and language at the end
of each sentence as a sign of respect when addressing someone older. Put together, "mano po" literally translates
to "your hand please" as the greeting initiates the gesture of touching the back of the hand of an elder lightly on
one’s forehead. An identical tradition is followed in neighbouring Indonesia and Malaysia called "salim" and "salam"
respectively, suggesting that the Mano po tradition dates to precolonial times.

Mano Po 1
One of the most influential origins of the "Mano" began when the Catholic friars who occupied, colonized, and
converted many insisted that the Indios [the native people] kiss their hand, as a sign of power over them. At the
time, the Pope who was held in high esteem, extended his hand to priests, nuns & lay people as he gave his
blessings as they kissed his signet ring. This ritual was appropriated by the Catholic Friars and Priests, especially in
the Philippines. As a result the Filipinos appropriated this tradition as a means to show respect to one's elders by
way of the Mano. The Mano is when one slightly bows to one's elder as they take the elder's opposing hand and
respectfully place it to one's own forehead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mano_(gesture) (see for other hand gestures)

Mano (gesture)
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A statue in Iriga Citycommemorating the mano po gesture

Mano or pagmamano is an "honoring-gesture" used in Filipino culture performed as a sign of respect to elders and
as a way of requesting a blessing from the elder. Similar to hand-kissing, the person giving the greeting bows
towards the hand of the elder and presses his or her forehead on the elder's hand. Usually performed with the right
hand, the person showing respect may ask "Mano po" to the elder in order to ask permission to initiate the gesture.
Typically someone may mano to his or her older relatives upon entry into their home or upon seeing them. [1]
The word mano is Spanish for hand while the word po is often used in Filipino culture and language at the end of
each sentence as a sign of respect when addressing someone older. Put together, mano po literally translates
to [your] hand please as the greeting initiates the gesture of touching the back of the hand of an elder lightly on
one’s forehead.[2] An identical tradition is followed in neighbouring Indonesia and Malaysia
called salim and salam respectively, suggesting that the Mano po tradition dates to precolonial times. [citation needed]

Origin[edit]
Due to its geographical location and years of colonization, the Filipino culture has been heavily influenced by
Eastern and Western customs and traditions. From youth, Filipinos are taught to respect the elders not only within
their families but those in their communities as well, be they strangers or relatives. Filipinos believe that the elders
have earned the respect of the younger generations not only through their age, but through their acquired wisdom
and experiences.[citation needed]
The custom of mano is dated to precolonial times, and is still followed by the related countries of Indonesia,
Malaysia and Brunei, which the Philippines shares a common ethnolinguistical origin with. In these countries
however, the custom is called salim originating from Arabic. Salim is also done in the family to respect elder family
members and relatives. Salim is also a normal gesture done in a traditional Islamic society to respect
the ulama (religious elite/scholars).[citation needed]

Usage and context[edit]

In today's Philippine setting, the mano is still used by Filipinos as a sign of respect to their elders. It is usually done
when the elder is seen for the first time in the day or upon entering a house or gathering. There is no age limit for
the usage of the mano, but it is usually practiced on those older by two generations or more.
By offering your hand to mano, you are allowing yourself to be subservient to the elder to accept their blessing and
wisdom. It is considered impolite if one does not exercise the custom of  pagmamano when entering the home of an
elder or after seeing them at a gathering. [citation needed]
The respect for elders stems from the high value of family in Filipino culture. Filipinos are loyal to their family, such
that the elderly live in the homes of their children and/or grandchildren to be taken care of, and the nursing home
business is almost nonexistent in the Philippines. By having the elderly live at home, you are respecting their value
in the family.[3][4]
Though the mano po gesture is usually practiced on one's parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, it is not
restricted to one’s relatives. In other words, it is still perfectly respectable to practice the mano po gesture whether
one is related to the older person or not as long as there is enough esteem among the two individuals. [citation needed]
The reason why Filipinos mano elders although they are not necessarily a relative is due to the value of family.
Filipinos call older non-relatives "grandfather/mother, aunt, uncle, etc." even when they are not actually related in
this way. By addressing elders in this way, you are acknowledging their age and the respect you need to show
them. It’s considered to be disrespectful to call an elder just by their first name. [2] Hence, Filipinos treat friends and
acquaintances like family.[citation needed]
The mano po gesture is usually followed by a response of "God bless you" or "May the Lord have mercy on you" by
the elder; the sign of the cross may be made over the recipient. The latter response of "May the Lord have mercy on
you" is used when the pagmamano is performed with both hands to ask an elder's pardon and forgiveness. With
both hands, the younger person takes the elder's hands and lifts them to the forehead to formally ask forgiveness
for an offence. This may be done whilst kneeling and weeping. This is the highest form of the pagmamano.[citation needed]

Similar Filipino customs[edit]

Beso-Beso[edit]
Though the mano po gesture is still widely used at present in the Philippines, many Filipinos have also replaced this
gesture with the beso. The beso-beso which originated from the Spanish word for kiss, is a common greeting in the
Philippines similar to the mano. The beso-beso is a cheek-to-cheek kiss. The beso is more commonly used amongst
the upper classes as a greeting to relatives and close friends, but is not reserved for an older person unlike
the mano.[citation needed]
Po and opo[edit]
Similar to the mano po gesture, po and opo are also distinctly Filipino ways of showing respect to one’s elders.
[5]
 The po is usually affixed to the end of sentences or phrases when one is addressing someone older than him or
her. For example, paumanhin in Filipino means sorry. To an elder, one would say paumanhin po, The word po alone
does not really have its own meaning but adds formality and is used as a sign of respect. This is why it is affixed
to mano and thus is said as mano po when one is requesting for the blessing of an elder. [6]

See also[edit]
 Filipino values
 Filipino character
 Filipino identity

References[edit]
1. ^ "Account Suspended". Filipinowriter.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b Jimenez, Gidget Roceles (2015). All About the Philippines  : Stories, Songs, Crafts and Games for
Kids. Tuttle Publishing. p.  51. ISBN 1462917259. Retrieved  14 February  2019.
3. ^ "Philippine Culture - Common Family Traits". Philippinecountry.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
4. ^ "Filipino Family Customs". Asianinfo.org. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
5. ^ "Filipino values and concepts". English-to-tagalog.com. Retrieved  2016-05-19.
6. ^ "Filipino Traditions and Customs". Retrieved on 6 January 2014.

‘Mano po’ and other treasures

By: Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:08 AM December 26, 2017

This is the season for “mano po”—a traditional Filipino gesture to honor our elders
by bowing to them or pressing one’s forehead on their offered hand. The person
giving respect may say “mano po” (literally, “your hand, please”) to the elder to
initiate the gesture, while the elder normally responds with “God bless you” or a
silent blessing on the person giving respect. It especially finds wide use during
Christmas, when children go on the annual ritual of visiting their “ninong/ninang”
(godfather/mother) to ask for their blessing, but also to ask for an “aguinaldo” or
Christmas gift, usually given in the form of cash. Hence the joke that “money po”
would be the more apt greeting for the occasion. Beyond Christmas, we also do it
with our elders upon leaving or coming home, or upon seeing them after some
absence. Catholics do it at the end of a Mass or family prayer, and is especially done
to a priest or bishop as a gesture of respect and subservience. It’s not only children or
young people who do it, as any elder or anyone to whom respect is due, whether
older or younger than us, is considered worthy of the gesture.

When I lived in culture-rich Japan as a visiting research fellow at Kyoto University

many years ago, I found renewed value and appreciation for the practice being one
of the few distinctive features of our culture, many of which are fading. In the midst
of the polite Japanese who routinely bow in respect for one another, I saw our mano
po to be our closest equivalent everyday gesture, though not as universally applied. I
began to silently lament how the “beso-beso” (cheek to cheek kiss) has replaced it in
many families including my own (I now regret not having raised my own children
on the practice, especially when I see friends whose children dutifully do a mano po
with them.) While it was something I took for granted as my own parents raised us
on the practice, I now find its much deeper meaning and value that I wish there
could be a conscious effort to revive and preserve it in our society, and not because
I’m advancing in age myself.

There are a number of other distinctive practices and traits we Filipinos have that we ought to take
pride in and preserve for posterity. One is the “bayanihan” or mutual assistance among community
members, exemplified in the image of neighbors literally carrying a nipa house on their shoulders
to help the owner relocate it. Many see it as a dying value and practice, as Filipinos have
increasingly imbibed a to-each-his-own (kanya-kanya) mentality with wider urbanization. Gone are
the days when we would occasionally borrow a cup of sugar, rice or whatever from the neighbors
when we ran out. Now, few people know their neighbors at all, or bother to do so, even in an
apartment building where they are literally next door.
Hospitality is another positive trait we Filipinos have traditionally been known for. I recall how in
my teenage years, friends of my parents overseas gave up their master bedroom in their small home
for my wife and me as we stopped over in their city while traveling. They chose to sleep on
couches in their living room for our sake, to our great discomfort (and possibly more theirs). We
would indeed bend over backwards to make our guests feel comfortable often to the point of self
sacrifice, and happily, this Filipino trait may not necessarily be fading as fast as mano po appears to
be.
We Filipinos are also said to be both creative and resourceful. I need not elaborate on the former, as
we are usually seen and envied by others as being particularly talented in the arts (whether in the
performing arts or in design). I recall how a visiting professor colleague was once impressed with
Filipino resourcefulness when his imported American car, with no spare parts available locally, got
a dose of what his mechanics described to him as “remedyo Filipino,” when he had a problem with
the vehicle.
It’s often said that we Filipinos have a tendency for self-flagellation. But in this season for counting
our blessings, we should be mindful of the positive traits we Filipinos could treasure and take pride
in.

Read more: https://opinion.inquirer.net/109755/mano-po-treasures#ixzz5hAro6rfc 
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

rjvera1962 • 8 years ago

The custom of "pagmamano" was erroneously conceived to have come from the Spanish Friars. Partly true, but not
in its entirety. Let me explain. The difference between our "pagmamano" and that of the Spanish takes its lead on
how it is done. For example, we generally seek the hand by saying the "mano po" and place the hand on our
forehead. The Spanish "pagmamano" on the other hand is the kissing of the hand "beso de mano" which is basically
Spanish.
How is it so? In my many travels among the near and distant lands, the custom or tradition of kissing one's hand is
prominent, however ancient, among many Western, and Western-influenced alike, cultures. If you go to the many
countries of the South American continent, the kissing of hands by many parishioners, especially the elder ones, is
extremely prominent. The younger generations follow-suit, but not at the same degree as their elders.

The same manifestation can be seen among the Visayan culture where Spanish influence is at its highest. Classic
example is my father-in-law whom I could say is at least 75% Spanish blood. We had a discussion many years ago
about "pagmamano" and he described to me how it was being done then. He told me the difference about the 2
"pagmamano" being, the Filipino way of "pagmamano" by allowing one's head touch the hand of the elder or the
respected one, is a show of respect. The other way of "pagmamano" where one kisses the hand of the elder or the
respected one, is a sign of love, and it's typical Spanish.

I have also noticed that other cultures in Asia, in my travels to India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and even Brunei, the
culture of "pagmamano" is indeed very prominent. In some states of India, the "pagmamano" is done on the foot, not
on the hand. A classic example of this is brightly shown on the movie "Ghandi"

There it is. I hope this will help a little.

Bonifacio Solsoloy ... • 8 years ago

Authentic Filipino ba talaga ang pagmamano? Hindi ba natin ito naman sa mga Kastila?

rjvera1962  Bonifacio Solsoloy ... • 8 years ago

Nahihirapan ang sinuman mag-confirme @Bonifacio kasi wala tayong pinanghahawakang any research
materials that would lead to the answer to your question. But one thing for sure, the origin is not Spanish or
any country in Europe for that matter.

Normally, in order to get answer to this is to observe the surrounding nations and see whatever similarities
in terms of customs and tradition we may be having. Ang pagmamano po ang isa dito. Sa mga lokal ng
mga taga-Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia at iba pang lahi na na lumalapit sa uri ng mga "Malayo-Polynesian"
ang gumagamit nito. Katulad na nasabi ko sa isang comment ko, sa India, sa paa nagmamano ang mga
kabataan sa kanilang magulang.

Dahil dito, minabuti natin na sabihin na ang pagbibigay-galang (at hindi pagsasa-alipin) ng pagmamano ay
likas sa mga katutubo ng ilang parte ng Asia, bukod lamang sa mga nasasakupan ng mga lahi na malalapit
sa China.

Ang pagmamano kasi ng mga kastila at ang pag-halik sa kamay. Kaya sa katagalugan, may mga familia na
nagsasabing, "Humalik ka sa kamay," quesa sa "Magmano ka," kahit na iisa ang ibig sabihin nila.

Jane Rodriguez ... • 8 years ago

when my daughter & I were in the U.S., we did that....I did that to elders I met there (Filipinos and non-Filipinos) at
nakita ng anak ko 'yan....the non-Filipinos were surprise and sabi nila, sana may ganyan din silang
kaugalian....ginagawa pa rin 'yan dito sa Pilipinas....marami pa ring kabataan ang gumagawa niyan....ang
pagmamano ay bahagi ng campus culture ng present school ng daughter ko ngayon....hindi mawawala ang pagma-
mano....nagu-umpisa 'yan sa loob ng pamamahay at dahil natural na rin sa Pilipino ang magalang....pwera lang kung
talagang 'kakaiba' ang kaharap...hehehe ^_

The Right Way to Give Someone a Blessing

Use the Bible's words. And make it personal.

DALLAS WILLARD| JANUARY 8, 2014

Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn't just words. It's the actual putting forth of your
will for the good of another person. It always involves God, because when you will the good of another person,
you realize only God is capable of bringing that. So we naturally say, "God bless you."
You can bless someone when you will their good under the invocation of God. You invoke God on their behalf
to support the good that you will for them. This is the nature of blessing. It is what we are to receive from God
and then give to another.

Now we need to deepen that just a little bit, because it isn't just a verbal performance. It isn't "bless you" said
through gritted teeth. It's a generous outpouring of our whole being into blessing the other person. So, among
other things, you don't want to hurry a blessing. It becomes a habit that we say thoughtlessly, "God bless." Well,
that's better than a lot of other things we could say, but we want to be able to put our whole self into our
blessing. That is something we need to be thoughtful about. We don't just rattle off a blessing. It's a profoundly
personal and powerful act.

In Numbers 6:24–26, we find the great Aaronic blessing. This is the blessing Moses instructed his brother,
Aaron, to place on the people of Israel. Thank God for it! When you try to improve on it, you realize you are not
going to make much headway.

"The Lord bless you." That means "God bring good consistently into your life." "The Lord bless you and keep
you." That means "God protect you. God build around you his safekeeping. The blood of Jesus and the Spirit of
Christ be ...

GESTURES OF RESPECT
Añjali Mudrā

Añjali Mudrā (Sanskrit: अञ्जलि मुद्रा) or praṇāmāsana (Sanskrit: प्रणामासन) is a hand gesture which is practiced

throughout Asia and beyond. It is used as a sign of respect and a greeting in India, Sri
Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Indonesia, also used among East Asian Buddhists,
Taoists and Shintoists and amongst yoga practitioners and adherents of similar traditions. The gesture is
incorporated into many yoga asanas. The gesture is also used for worship in many Eastern religions.

Anjali mudra is performed by pressing the palms of the hands together. The fingers are together with fingertips
pointing up. The hands are pressed together firmly and evenly. [1]
In the most common form of anjali mudra, the hands are held at the heart chakra with thumbs resting lightly against
the sternum.[1] The gesture may also be performed at the Ajna or brow chakra with thumb tips resting against the
"third eye" or at the crown chakra (above the head). In some yoga postures, the hands are placed in anjali mudra
position to one side of the body or behind the back.
Anjali mudra is normally accompanied by a slight bowing of the head.

Bowing
Bowing (also called stooping) is the act of lowering the torso and head as a social gesture in direction to another
person or symbol. It is most prominent in Asian cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many
countries and distinctively in Europe. It is also used in religious contexts, as a form of worship or veneration.
Sometimes the gesture may be limited to lowering the head such as in Indonesia, and in many cultures several
degrees of the lowness of the bow are distinguished and regarded as appropriate for different circumstances. It is
especially prominent in India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, China, Korea, and Japan where it may be executed
standing or kneeling. Some bows are performed equally by two or more people while others are unequal - the
person bowed to either does not bow in return or performs a less low bow in response. A nod of the head may be
regarded as the minimal form of bow; forms of kneeling, genuflection, or prostration which involves the hands or
whole body touching the ground, are the next levels of gesture.

In East Asia[edit]
Students wearing suits, hakamaand a kimono bow to the president of the school and then to the audience at the 2015 Waseda
Universitygraduation ceremony in Japan.

Bows are the traditional greeting in East Asia, particularly in Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam. In China, and
Vietnam, shaking hands or a slight bow have become more popular than a full bow. [2][3][4][5] However, bowing is not
reserved only for greetings. Bowing is a gesture of respect. Different bows are used for apologies and gratitude.
Basic bows originate at the waist and are performed with the back straight and the hands at the sides (for men) or
clasped in front (for women), and with the eyes down.
Generally, bows can be divided into three main types: informal, formal, and very formal. Informal bows are made at
about a fifteen degree angle and more formal bows at about thirty degrees. Very formal bows are deeper. In
extreme cases a kneeling bow is performed, which may be so deep that the forehead touches the floor.
There is an extremely complex etiquette surrounding bowing, including the length and depth of bow, and the
appropriate response. For example, if the other person maintains his or her bow for longer than expected (generally
about two or three seconds), it is polite to bow again, upon which one may receive another bow in return, often
leading to an exchange of progressively lighter bows.[citation needed]
Apology and thanks[edit]
Bows are a required and expected part of any apology or expression of thanks in East Asia,
especially Japan and Korea.
Bows of apology tend to be deeper and last longer than other types of bow. They occur with frequency during the
apology, generally at about 45-50 degrees with the head lowered and lasting for at least the count of three but
sometimes longer. The depth, frequency and duration of the bow increases with the sincerity of the apology and the
severity of the offense. Bows of thanks follow the same pattern.
Bows of apology are frequently performed at press conferences by high-ranking members of a company that has
performed some misdeed, such as producing faulty parts that resulted in a death. The bows are almost invariably
performed standing behind a table; the tips of the fingers touch the table while the upper body, held straight, is
lowered from the waist until the face is parallel with the tabletop.
Greeting[edit]
Bows are commonly used in greeting, both when meeting and when departing. Bows almost automatically
accompany the greeting phrases, but generally are no longer used among the immediate family unless addressing a
family member after or in anticipation of a long absence or separation.
Bows also replace speaking under certain circumstances. For example, when encountering again a person to whom
one has already spoken that day, a silent bow replaces such phrases as "hello" or "hi."
When addressing a subordinate, a manager, supervisor, or other leader generally only nods the head slightly (some
may not bow at all), while the subordinate bends forward slightly from the waist.

Hand-kissing
Hand-kissing is a gesture indicating courtesy, politeness, respect, admiration or even devotion by one person
toward another.
A hand-kiss is initiated by the person receiving the greeting by holding out their hand with the palm facing
downward; or by the person giving the greeting, by extending a hand to grasp the recipient's hand. The person
kissing bows towards the offered hand and (often symbolically) touches the knuckles with their lips, while lightly
holding the offered hand. However, the lips do not actually touch the hand in modern tradition, especially in a formal
environment where any intimate or romantic undertones could be vastly inappropriate. The gesture is short, lasting
less than a second.
Hand-kissing has become rare and is mostly restricted to the conservative upper class or diplomats.
In Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, hand-kissing is a common way to greet elder people of both genders,
primarily the closest relatives (both parents, grandparents, and uncles or aunts) and teachers. Occasionally, after
kissing the hand, the greeter will draw the hand to his own forehead. In the Philippines, the gesture evolved into just
touching the hand to the forehead.
The hand-kiss is used quite prominently in The Godfather series, as a way to indicate the person who is the Don. It
also features in epoch films, such as Dangerous Liaisons.

Kissing the ring

Kissing the hand, or particularly a ring on the hand was also a gesture of formal submission or pledge of allegiance
of man to man, or as a diplomatic gesture. The gesture would indicate submission by kissing the  signet ring (a form
of seal worn as a jewelry ring), the person's symbol of authority. The gesture was common in the European upper
class throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. It started to disappear in the 20th century, to be replaced by
the egalitarian hand shake. However, former French president Jacques Chirac made hand-kissing his trademark
and the gesture is still encountered in diplomatic situations. [1]

Religious usage
In the Roman Catholic Church, a Catholic meeting the Pope or a Cardinal, or even a lower-ranking prelate, will kiss
the ring on his hand. This has become uncommon in circles not used to formal protocol, even often dispensed with
amongst clergy. Sometimes, the devout Catholic combines the hand kissing with kneeling on the left knee as an
even stronger expression of filial respect for the clerically high-ranking father. The cleric may then in a fatherly way
lay his other hand on the kisser's head or even bless him/her by a manual cross sign. In the Catholic Church, it is
also traditional for the laity to kiss the hands of a newly-ordained priest after his inaugural mass, in veneration of the
Body of Christ, which is held in the priest's hands during the Holy Eucharist.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Oriental Orthodox Churches, it is appropriate and common for laity to greet
clergy, whether priests or bishops, by making a profound bow and saying, "Father, bless" (to a priest) or "Master,
bless" (to a bishop) while placing their right hand, palm up, in front of their bodies. The priest then blesses them with
the sign of the cross and then places his hand in theirs, offering the opportunity to kiss his hand. Orthodox
Christians kiss their priest's hands not only to honor their spiritual father confessor, but in veneration of the Body of
Christ which the priest handles during the Divine Liturgy as he prepares Holy Communion. It is also a common
practice when writing a letter to a priest to begin with the words "Father Bless" rather than "Dear Father" and end
the letter with the words "Kissing your right hand" rather than "Sincerely."
During liturgical services, altar servers and lower clergy will kiss the hand of a priest when handing him something in
the course of their duties, such as a censer, when he receives it in his right hand, and a bishop when he receives it
in either hand since a bishop bestows blessings with both hands.
There are records of hand-kissing in the Islamic Caliphate as early as the 7th century.[2]
The Bahá’í Faith forbids the practice of hand-kissing.